This invention relates generally to cleaning solutions, and more particularly to a composition and method for removing embedded soil from surfaces having flat or very low gloss coatings without increasing the gloss of the coating.
The use of flat or very low gloss coatings on the exterior surfaces of aircraft and other weapons systems presents a serious cleaning problem. Due to the nature of the coating soil entrapped therein is extremely difficult to remove by conventional cleaning means.
For example, with non-abrasive, solvent emulsion cleaners the cleaning efficiency is directly related to the degree of gloss of the coating. The lower the gloss, the lower is the cleaning efficiency. In fact, test panels which have been cleaned using these cleaners appear badly soiled even when cleaning efficiencies of 80 percent were achieved.
Alternatively, abrasive cleaners have been tried. Since carbon and dirt particles are known to require mechanical agitation to be removed from flat or low gloss surfaces, it would appear that abrasive cleaners would provide an obvious answer to this cleaning problem. However, abrasive cleaners tend to increase the gloss of the coating, thereby undesirably affecting the camouflage quality of the coating.